Electric switch



Jan 3., 192s. 1,654,813

C. H. JOVCKMUS ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed 0G12, 1l, 1923 @QJ-Jg 0f /9 I -AWORNEYS Patented Jan. 3V, 1928.

, PATENT omen.

CHARLES H. JoCKMUs, lor ANsoNrA, CONNECTICUT.v

-nLnoTRro SWITCH.

Application filed October 11, 1923.` Serial No. 667,791.

This invention relates to pull Nohain switches ot the type particularly adapted to be used in connection `with electric lamp sockets. v

Heretoor-e, considerable difficulty has been experienced with pull chain switches of the ktype to which my invention pertains in that excessive arcing has been caused be- Vtween the stationary and movable contacts upon movement ot the movable Contact out of electrical engagement with the stationary contact. t l f An important object of my invention is to provide in a device of the character meninated thus prolonging the lite of the contact' elementsv byreason of the actthat the objectionableburningout or fusing of the same is thereby overcome.

' Other lobjects and certain advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description whenftakeny in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a switch embodying my invention.l y v Figure 2 is an elevation of the switch mechanism kshown in Figure 1.

Figure Sis a sectional view taken on the line 3 3' of Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a view similar to thatot Figure showing however, a slightly modified form of the invention. y In the drawings` .`wherein for the purpose .of illustration is shown what I at present consider the preferred forms of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a base formed of al nonconductingmaterial, such as por'ce lain or the like, to which is connected a central contact 6 adapted to engage the'central contact of an electric lamp, not shown, when the Switch mechanism is embodied in an electric lamp socket. The central contact 6 is connected by means of a screw 7 to a bearing 8 upon which is mounted to oscillate a mov able Contact or switch arm 9 having a wiper arm 10 adapted to bemoved under and into engagement with a stationary contact 11,'the forward end of which is turned slightly up ward, as shown at 12, in order to facilitate entrance oi the wiper arm 10, as will be readily appreciated. The movable contact ureV 1.

9 pivotally mounted upon the bearing 8 is rigidly connected to a block 12 of `insulating material carrying a shaft 13 which is journaled at its upper end to a horizontal ledge 14 formin apart oi' a frame 15 with which the swite operating-mechanism .16 is associated. The operating mechanism 16 is adapted to be actuatedby means of the conventional form of pull chain 17 to eiiect an intermittent oscillatory movement of the wiper arm 10 into and out of engagement with the stationary contact l1. The stationary cont-actll is, by'means of a screw 18, c l p connected to a bracket 19 ,provided with a tioned, a means whereby such arcmg is elim-V screw 2Q adapted to function as 'a means for connecting an electric conductor, not shown, to the bracket 19. 'It will be appreciated,

therefore, that when the switch arm 9 is' maintained in its full line position, as shown in the drawings, electrical communication is established betweenv the central contact 6 and the bracket 19, which communication is severed the instant the contact 9 is moved to its dotted line position shown in Fig- In order to smother or eliminate the heretofore objectionable arcing upon movement of the wiper arm 10` out of engagement with the stationary contact` 11, I` have provided the latter with a cup-shapedfdepression or pocket 21 within which is adapted to be placed a quantity of nonconducting oil or grease 22. The grease functions not only as a lubricant for preventing excessive wear between the movable contact 9 and stationary contact 11, but also serves to smother or extinguish the arc incident to moving the wiper, arm 10 out of engagement with the contact 11. In order to further insure elimination orv extinguishing of the arc', l. have provided a snuffel'v 23 which is superimposed upon the stationary contact 11 and provided with an opening 24 adapted for the reception of thedepression or pocket 21, shown most clearly in Figure '3. `This snuileriis inthe form of a relatively small piece or strip of insulating material,` such as fibre, bakelit'e or the like, and is held in position intermediate the Contact 11 and the bracket 19 by meansof the screw 18.

By reason oi the presence of the grease 22, the retention of which is made possible by the depression or cup-shaped member 21, and by reason ot the provision oi the snul'ter 23, I have succeeded in eliminating the ol jectionable arcing heretotore experienced in fovitches, ot the type shown, upon breaking the circuit incident to moving tho wiper arm l() ont ot electrical engagement with the stationary contact ll. liv so eliminating the ol'ijectionable a rcing, the lite ot the switch is necessarily ])r-olonged due to the tact that the burning out or :tusing ot the contact elements 9 and Il has been obviated.

Referring to Figure 4t, it will be noted that the snu'ter Q3 in the torm of a solid piece ot n'iaterial, such as 'fiber or the like, and is mounted upon and adapted to move with the wiper arm l0, the siiiitfer being secured to the arm by any suitable nieans. such as rivets or the like. not shown. It will be observed. tooe in the case ot the moditied 'form of my invention. that as a stationary contact the base 19 ot the brachct 19 may be employed, the base being ent away or relieved, as shown at 20', in order "that the wiper arm l0 may ride freely into position upon the upper tace of the base when the tnierating` niecl'ianism 1G is so actuated. as to close the circuit. The nonconducting oil or grease 22 in the case ot the modification shown in Figure fi, instead ot being` eontined within a suitable pocket, such as that hercinlfietore de scribed, may be distributed over the base 19 at the curved oryrelieved end thereot'. as shown, in which case it held in place by cohesion as will be readily appreciated.

lVhile I have shown and described what I at present consider the preferred torn'is ot my invention, it is to be understood that minor changes as to the details ot construction may vary without departing trom the spirit ot the invention or the scope ot the subjoincd claims.

I claim:

1i An electric switch comprising relatively movable. contact elements one ot which is provided with a pocket adapted for the reception ot a lubricant adapted to function as an arc extinguishing medium upon tormation ot an are between said contact members when they are moved relatively with respect to each other. and a snutlier associated with one ot said contact elements and adapted to co--opcrate with said grease to extinguish the arc formed between said contact elements upon relative movement therebetween.

An electric switch comprising contact elen'ients adapted to be moved into and out ot' engagement with. each other, one ot said contacts being provided with a pocket, an arc extinguishing medium carried within said pocket and snntier means associated with one of said elements and adapted to (fo-operate with said are extinguishing medium tor further insuring cxtinguishinglr of' the ire upon relative movement between said contact elements.

23. An electric switch coniprising contact; elements adapted to be moved into and out ol engagement with each other1 one ot said contacts being providedwith a ocl et an arc extinguishing medium carried within said pocket, snuller means associated with one olf said elements and adapted to cooperate with said are extinguishing medium for further insuring extiiiguishing ot' the arc upon relative movement between said contact elements7 said means being in the form of a strip of insulating material overlying said pocket.

it. An electric switch coinprising a base. a contact meniber having a pocket mounted on said base, a strip oit insulating material superimposed on said pocket member, and a second contact member adapted to be moved into and out oit' contact with said tirst con tact member.

5. An electric switch comprising a, stationary Contact member having a pocket, an arc extinguishing medium carried within said pocket, an insulating strip adjacent to said stationary contact, and a movable contact adapted to be moved into and out ot engagement with said stationary contact.

t3. An electric switch con'lprising a stationary contact, a movable contact adapted to be moved into and out ot engagement with said stationartY contact, means associated with said stationary contact tor reainingl an arc-extinguishing mediuui, and an insulating member adjacent a nd overiapping said stationary contact nien'iber l'or further extiiiguishing the arc upon relative movement between said contact elements.

7. An electric switch comprising a relatively iixed contact clement, a relatively n'iovable contact element, and means to hold a lubricant adjacent said tixed element and in position where the body oit the lub"ricant will come into direct Contact with said movable element when said movable element is brought into contact with said fixed element.

tl. A switch comprising a baseN a relative ly tixcd contact element mounted on said base. a relatively movable contact elementi cooperating with said fixed clement and adapted to pass between said base and said iixed element, and a lubricant disposed bc tween said base and said tixed element and adapted to contact with said movable clement when said movable element is brought into position between said base and said fixed element.

9. An electric switch comprising two relatively movable contact elements, one of said elements having a pocket holding a lubricant :in position where the body ot the lubricant tl t) litt) will come into dii'eet Contact with the other of seid elementsduring said relative movenient. f

l0. A Switch eon'ipi'ising a base, a relatively lixed Contact element mounted on said base and having n pocket therein opening toward said base, a relatively movable contact element cooperating With said fixed element and adapted to pass between said CHARLES H. JooKMUS. 

